


I'll be

by KiriJones



Series: Kissed by fire [11]
Category: Vikings (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-25 22:29:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17129894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KiriJones/pseuds/KiriJones
Summary: "There is never a time for true love. It happens accidentally, in a heartbeat, in a single flashing, throbbing moment."- Sarah Dessen, The Truth About Forever.Diana is in the middle of screaming at this brutal man. This gentle and blunt and cautious savage. She is getting married tomorrow. How dare he do this now?!!! She has a duty and a promise to fulfill.But Ubbe Ragnarson cuts her off with a kiss that makes her weak. She trembles and feels her knees shake when he ends the kiss and cups her hands with his calloused hands. "I love you." He says it with so much confidence and certainty she can't help but whisper it back.





	1. Chapter 1

it is in the middle of the night. She should be sleeping. She is Diana. Daughter of Ecbert King of Wessex, Mercia, and East Anglia and Marie of Francia.  She is to marry Lord Marcus of Northumbria. She is to help bridge the gap between their countries. He is a good man. Diana thinks she could learn to love him. 

The Vikings are here led by Ragnar Lothbrok. His sons Ubbe and Ivar are with him to celebrate almost eleven years of peace and alliance. Aelle is dead and the new King wants to have peace after years of tension and war. Diana is almost nineteen years old. She is educated, can shoot a bow better than most men, and knows her father has done his best to give her a choice. Her mother Marie did not have that. But Diana wants to tear apart her hideous gown and flee the country. She wants to scream and empty out the rage and grief. 

She had spent almost five years amongst the Vikings after Aelle had tried to capture and rape her when she was eleven. For her own protection. Yet is spelt her doom. Bjorn drifted out of Kattegat and mostly ignored her. Ragnar cared her because Athelstan had. Aslaug hated her. Ivar had wanted to kill her. Hvitserk had been like a younger brother. But Ubbe had been her lifeline. Her friend. Her companion. When they had parted Diana had asked if he wanted to come tonwessex. He had said no. Laughing drunk he tried to imagine life among her people. living amongst Christians? Hah. He would rather be dead. Some part of her broke that day. Spurned she had ignored him and buried herself in Wessex. 

And now seeing him with his stupid blue eyes that can be kinder than anyone thinks and smarter than anyone gives him credit for the twenty-tree year old is causing an agony she does not want. She knows what she has to do. She must face the truth and then cut if out of her. Carve it out with a blunt knife and begin anew with her husband. But she fears to carve it out may not leave her with much of a heart at all. 

She is standing looking out the window when a hand yanks her away and she tries to scream only for a mouth to end it before she can draw breath. She begins to panic until a voice breaths her name. She opens her eyes and looks and sees it is Ubbe. She bites his hand and he swears before he moves away from her. Diana glares and stops her tirade when she takes in his appearance. He is dressed in his traveling clothes. An axe strapped to his back, blades all over. His eyes are intense and bore into her own. A silence descends and neither say anything. 

Sonshe breaks the stalemate. "What are you doing here Ubbe?"

He says nothing. But he takes her in and then she sees something change in him. He closes his eyes. And when he opens them he looks so much like this father. He has the look in his eyes. The Will that lead Ragnar to the shores of England and made him a legend. 

"How long will it take you to dress? Pack some clothes for the road. We have a long journey ahead of us." 

"What??!!" Is all she can manage in reply. 

"You will not marry that man. We need to hurry before anyone notices we are gone." 

Land at that sentence she snaps. She begins to raise her voice. "Who the hell do you think you are??? I am getting married tomorrow!!  You egotistical brutal!!! How dare you even suggest this? What makes you think I would ever go window anymore? My father..." 

Any word she is about to speak is cut off by Ubbe. He moves so fast with those stupid warrior reflexes she has always secretly admired. His lips cover her own and Diana crumbles. All of the anger leaves her and only sadness remains. But still she scrambles and her hands fist in his clothes. She struggles to pull him closer. Ubbe breaks the kiss and his calloused hands move to cup her cheeks. She is trembling and his breath is coming out raggedly. 

"I love you." He says the words with certainty. He swallows and looks down before his eyes meet her again. "I can't watch you marry him. I will kill him before your priest has the chance to finish the ceremony." 

The declaration sends chills down her spine. She has seen him kill men before. Unbeaten may not be as brutal as some of his people but he can still be ruthless and violent. It is who he is. A warrior. But now in this moment he is just a man. A man who is saying he wants to kill her husband to be. But it doesn't scare her. Instead it warms her heart. But Diana has always prided herself on being practical. 

"And where would we go Ubbe? They would hunt us down." 

"We would go to Francia. To my uncle Rollo. his wife Gisla is a distant kindred to you is she not?" 

"Yes but.." 

"We would marry in front of the King and by the bishop. That is the title yes? Your father would not dare to question a marriage made in the sight of your God. " 

she is shocked and she knows it shows in her face. "Marry in a church? You mean you would?"

at her confusion his face softens and he strokes her cheek. "I will always follow Odin and Thor here." One of his hands thumps his chest where his heart lies. "But in the eyes of men I would follow yours. I have killed and taken life and enjoyed it. What is lying to this? It is a sin I can live with." 

Diana remains silent as he waits patiently for her to reply. She can see her life with Marcus. She can see what Ubbe wants to do. It plays out with them maybe dying or being ostracized and hunted. She can see what he is willing to give up for her. She can see what she would be doing to be with him. 

He leans his forehead against her and closes his eyes. One hand comes and twirls around a curl that has escaped the tie. "Our children will have your hair. And my eyes." He opens his blue eyes then and looks at her and smiles. And in that moment she loves him more than anything. More than her father and country and family and duty. 

"Yes." She says it so quickly he barely has the chance to look surprised before she pounces on him. She stands on her toes and slams their lips together. Ubbe groans and opens his mouth. She gasps in surprise as his tongue touches hers. He bites her lip and then sooths it with his tongue. His hands trace her back before theybcupnher bottom and heft her up. She helps before she struggles to wrap her legs around his waist. 

Her dressing gown tangles with his weapons and she hears fabric ripped but nothing matters beyond their lips moving in a dance only they know. Unbelievable presses her against the stone wall and she breaks the kiss to breath. His lips descend to her neck and he bites and nips and sucks. The only sounds she hears are her ragged breath, his lips of her skin, and their pounding hearts. He is still holding her up and she uses her hands to guide his head up. 

He looks up at her and she smiles at him. "I hope they have your strength. And maybe my intellect." Realization dawns in his eyes and he surges forward to meet her again. When they break apart she returns to words he said earlier. Fair is fair. "Ubbe Ragnarson I love you. " she then summons her courage and love and will." Put me down. I need to gather my things." 

He reluctantly drops her slowly. She feels every inch of his muscles and strength and shivers. She chooses a life with this man. However long or short it may be. So she moves quickly and changes into a warm wool dress. She takes the simplest things she owns. She wears her mothers old silver cross and shoves the wedding jewels into the bag. They can sell them for supples. She writes a quick note and then puts on the daggers given to her by Ragnar back years ago. 

He takes her hand and they sneak out of her chambers blast the unconscious guard. They barely make it out almost getting caught more than once. A pair of horses is tied up in the stables. The hour is late and no one is there. And then they ride. Miles away some of Ubbe's men meet them. These are men eager to become legends. Men who have bled and fought with him. The number is small but it may be enough. And three days later when the ship departs from the shores of England Diana stands and watches as the land that was her home disappears. 

Ubbe comes up behind her and wraps his arms around her waist. He rest his chin on her shoulder. He says nothing but Diana knows he he regrets nothing. So she takes a breath and kisses him. England was her home. But no more. Now this man is. 

She is damned either way. But she will not regret her choice. She is happy. Scared and wary but happy. She wonders if this is how Helen of Troy felt when she fled with Paris? Diana hopes their story will not be tragic. They may die though. She knows this. But at least she will go with happiness in her soul and joy in her bones. 


	2. Chapter 2

The day of his daughters wedding Ecbert is awoken by an alarmed guard. His son meets him frantic. Once in his daughters chambers he finds a cold bed and a written note. He tells Aethelwulf to summon Ragnar Lothbrok. The man comes and demands an explanation. Ecbert simply hands him the note. 

He pours them both a drink. Ecbert says nothing and as Ragnar locks eyes with him. Ecbert feels old and weary. In this moments he is angry at his daughter for leaving him with this mess. But then he knows that she will be happy. At least he hopes she will be. And that her shoulders are heavy enough to bear the burden and pay the price for that happiness. 

"I think Athelstan would be proud of her. He always did love a good story." 

At the mention of their shared compatriot Ragnar's glare softens nod hentakes the offered drink. 

"How much time can you buy them?" 

"A day at most. A thorough search of the castles and grounds must be conducted first." 

And so Ecbert emerges and speaks with his son. 

Chaos erupts as he knew it would and Lord Marcus and his father Lord John threaten war. John vows that his son will have Diana. 

His kingdoms survive by the skin of their teeth and the Vikings are horrified that one of their own would run with a Christian woman. A search occurs but none can find them. The Vikings refuse to cooperate and their is not a trace of them in England. The men Ecbert sent out made sure of that.

Almost two year pass before Ecbert receives an ambassador from Francia to review a trade agreement. The ambassador is a shrewd man who sly mentions the infamous Duke Rollo. He mentions a conflict in which Rollo and his kinsman Ubbe drove back rebels. Aethelwulf swear and Judith goes silent. Ecbert merely listens. The ambassador says that Ubbe and his wife, married in the eyes of God and by an Archbishop in presence of the King in Paris, are well loved. I be is a savage come unto God. They are also the proud parents of a boy named Erik, with his mother's hair and the blue eyes of his father. And last he heard she was ever all months gone with their second. 

Ecbert lays beside Judith that night. And he prays to a god he is not sure he believes in. He hopes his daughter is happy. And he hopes one day to see her again, to hold his grandchildren in his arms. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope I got the characterization of Ubbe right! Enjoy this romantic cheese!


End file.
